Inspirational and Motivational Keynote Speaker in Helsinki, Finland

James Taylor is a global inspirational and motivational keynote speaker, entrepreneur, author and leading expert in creativity, marketing and innovation. With an MBA in international business and a fellowship at the RSA (the Royal Society of Arts, an organization with prestigious past members such as Benjamin Franklin and Nelson Mandela), Taylor aims to educate a large array of individuals and organizations willing to expand their creative capacities and function successfully in a world facing incessant changes. He travels the world, from Helsinki to Singapore, in order to deliver tailored, content-rich and highly insightful keynote presentations to audiences coming from a diversity of professional backgrounds and industries in Europe, the United States, Middle East and Asia. His former clients include world-famous companies such as Sony, Yamaha, Bertelsmann, Johnson & Johnson and Apple.

He has also been involved in one-on-one coaching, collaborating with world-leading figures such as entrepreneurs, music artists, corporate leaders, educators and writers. Due to his international prominence and visibility, Taylor featured in a large variety of media outlets, and was the subject of a 30 minutes BBC documentary about his life and career as a writer, keynote speaker and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of the ONTRApreneur and S.D. Southern Awards.

Helsinki has many excellent conference centers and facilities, including:

Helsinki Congress Paasitorni, on Paasivuorenkatu St.
Scandic Marina Congress Center, on Katajanokanlaituri St.
Finlandia Hall, on Mannerheimintie St.
Meeting Park FORUM, on Mannerheimintie St.
Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa, on Kalastajatorpantie St.
Taitotalo Kongressikeskus, on Valimotie St.

General Information about Helsinki for Meeting Planners and Event Professionals

Helsinki is the capital city of Finland, located in the Gulf of Finland on a peninsula, and the most populated urban area of this country, with 1,231,595 inhabitants. It is Finland’s most important center for finance, commerce, education, research and culture. In 2012, Helsinki was named the World Design Capital due to its innovative use of design as a tool for economic, cultural and social development. Although one third of Helsinki is covered by green areas, the city is also famous for its architecture, particularly its Art Nouveau buildings (including the Helsinki Central Station) designed in the early 20^th century by famous architects such as Eliel Saarinen. Central residential districts such as Katajanokka and Ullanlinna are also constructed in the Art Nouveau style. On the city’s main avenue, Mannerheimintie, several imposing landmarks are located, including the Parliament House, the National Museum and Kiasma, a contemporary art museum. The Uspenski Cathedral is another important tourist attraction. Helsinki is also world-renowned for its archipelago, consisting of approximately 330 islands, where both locals and tourists can enjoy camping trips or days at the beach. Many of Helsinki archipelago’s islands, such as the beautiful Pihlajasaari and Suomenlinna, are easy to reach by ferry-boats.

The City as a Conference Destination

Helsinki is a highly important international conference destination, hosting annually a large number of conventions, conferences and festivals. Its most important ones include: the Helsinki Festival, an annual arts and culture event; the Helsinki Design Week, a series of meetings focused on the latest innovations in design; Eureka Innovation Days, a two-day annual event focused on smart mobility, smart health, smart energy, and smart industry; the DSCONF, a conference about digital systems; and Slush, the world’s leading startup event, aiming to assist founder and investor meetings in order to build a thriving international startup community.

Helsinki Food Options for Conference Delegates

While attending a business conference in Helsinki, Finland, you should experience some of its renowned local restaurants. Ravintola, a highly rated restaurant chain, has branches in various neighborhoods from Helsinki and offers a great selection of Scandinavian food. Its most important branches in the city are the Ravintola Olo (+358 10 3206250) and the Ravintola Nokka (+358 9 61285600). Other places where you can sample Finnish dishes are the Savoy Restaurant (+358 9 61285300) and the Muru Restaurant (+358 300 472335). A great locale for seafood is the Finlandia Caviar Shop & Restaurant (+358 10 5817810) and a fantastic Japanese restaurant is Sushi Wagocoro (+358 40 0299415).

Helsinki Attractions for Convention Attendees

There are a number of highly rated tourist attractions you should not miss after attending a business conference in Helsinki, Finland. The Helsinki Cathedral, constructed in 1830, is an impressive architectonic piece built in a Neo-Classical Style. The Ateneum National Museum of Art is one of the most famous museums from Finland, providing an in-depth overview of the past and contemporary Finish art scene. Another important landmark is the Sibelius Park and Monument which, unlike many other parks in Europe, is kept largely in its natural state. Finally, among Helsinki archipelago’s numerous islands, probably the most beautiful is Suomenlinna, attracting annually more than 900,000 visitors, and containing an impressive fortress called the Castle of Finland.